The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced new rules preventing its top officials from working for telecom operators they regulate until at least five years after leaving office.
Under the Corporate Governance Guidelines for the Communications Industry, the Chairman, Executive Vice-Chairman, and Commissioners—both executive and non-executive—face a five-year cooling-off period. Directors of NCC departments face a three-year restriction.
The rules also prevent a telecom board chairman or vice-chairman from exercising executive powers or serving as CEO, while limiting family representation on a company board to two members. The guidelines aim to strengthen transparency, accountability, and ethical standards, applying to all companies with individual licences paying Annual Operating Levies.
NCC Executive Vice-Chairman Dr. Aminu Maida said the policy is designed to improve sustainability, investor confidence, and service quality in the sector. He noted that internal reviews showed a strong link between robust governance and better performance.
